Is Weston McKennie smoother than Gio Reyna on the soccer pitch? These two are surely the smoothest players on the United States national soccer team, no doubt.
It is a close race though. The two are both players who at times look like they’re playing a pick game in the park. That is what I like in players, at least in moments. Famously, they hounded Messi for walking until they realized what he was seeing and waiting for.
But Gio and Weston can be killers too, when the time is right.
Just watch the McKennie pass to Dusan Vlahovic. He turns his body and plays the ball first time with such ease and with the perfect weight on the pass. Vlahovic makes the runs because he knows what Weston can do, right.
𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘𝗦 of the McKennie first-time assist vs Lazio in the #CoppaItaliaFrecciarossa 🤤🤤🤤@juventusfcen | @USMNT pic.twitter.com/n7uBfhMcee
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) April 6, 2024
It is not just this pass but many that might have put Weston above Gio as far as the smoothest players goes. And, he’s pulling off his smoothness in Italy, for a world class club in Juventus.
Weston though is so at ease it’s like he’s on roller shoes – which he once wore in the halls of Juventus’ training facility.
Everyone appears frantic at times around McKennie, while he remains calm. Which is seemingly ironic in that off the field he has a big personality, it seems.
Take this example of when he chests the ball down for Milik off a corner kick. To see the play develop so quickly is exceptional for such a young player.
Additionally, McKennie’s smoothness gets results. It is his awareness and body positioning that leads him to make the game look easy. On the stat sheet this shows. He has 10 assists on the year for Juventus. Tops in the Italian league.
Moreover, Weston is deceptive in his casual, appearing style of play. He has the endurance and speed to get in the attack and rush back to defend.
However, Gio is able to dribble through players, ski slalom through a series of defenders with ease. He did it in Mexico City versus Mexico in fact.
Gio dribbling run versus Mexico.
It is a shame Gio didn’t play more in the World Cup in Qatar. I understand his frustration because he could have unlocked more chances for the team. He will most likely get the chance to do that in the tournament in the United States. Plus, bouncing back from all the media attention and showing well but just not getting enough time at Nottingham Forest shows his character.
For Reyna though, he needs to find the right coach and team and country to play in. Weston had runs in Germany, Italy, England, and then Italy again where he’s now a key player. Spain or Italy is probably where Reyna should play. He can play his casual style and enough defense to maintain a spot in the starting lineup. His defensive awareness and hustle has been shown of late playing for the United States national team.
In the end though, for smoothness, how much weight are we going to put on dribbling skills and beating defenders. McKennie knows more about shielding the ball and not being worried if he’s under pressure by numerous players. Whereas Gio has a lot of that steadiness too with the ball at his feet, but he can deftly cut the ball away from defenders and go on dribbling runs.
Both players though have the ability to bend in lovely crosses. And they each know how to caress a long ball diagonally.
Gio is just 21 and Weston is 25 – in pro soccer that’s a big age difference. Gio has more time to perfect his smoothness.
Incidentally, Gio Reyna got an assist on his first start for Nottingham Forest today. More assists to come the more he plays I’m sure. Still plenty of time to see who the smoothest American soccer player is.
